Tomorrow is my 5 year bandiversary

Except, I'll never make it there. I got my band removed today and revised to a sleeve!

i will always be grateful for the band because it was what my insurance would cover 100% five years ago. I never would have lost 94 lbs without it. I couldn't lose 10 lbs to save my life before the band. It changed my life forever and taught me so much. 

But out it was not without it's complications and since my current insurance will not cover anything related to it, even if case of an emergency, I decided to revise. 

I hope oped that my sleeve gives me the success the band did before it started wrecking havoc on my body. 

Just wanted to to say hello and update those *****member me from way back. 

And if you're looking for an excellent self pay revision surgeon, I would highly recommend www.endobariatric.com. 

I remember you.  Sorry the band did not work out for you. Best wishes with your revision. 

Good Luck with your revision.  Keep us posted on how you are doing.

I remember you too!! I think you will like your sleeve most folks do! Happy revision day!

I lost 271 lbs with my Lapband in 2 years and 3 years after that I revised to the Sleeve.  I love it.  IT helped me lose another 140 lbs.  Revisioners lose a little slower than virgin sleeves, because we are already used to eating such small portions.  Just stick with your rules of protein first and move your body and you'll get there!

Hi everyone! Thanks for the well-wishes!! 

I was released from the hospital yesterday and have been doing fine. It's a real chore to get in the liquids (and don't even get me started on the protein, lol!) but luckily I'm off work for a bit and can just focus on healing. 

So far, the sleeve recovery is easier than the band was. Of course, no hernia repair this time so I think that helps. 

I am certain I am going to love having a sleeve! 

Congrats on your revision!  I got my band almost 6 years ago.  lost a total of 74 pounds (a little more than half of my ultimate goal), and have regained a total of 73 pounds.  My dr.'s reply was that it "doesn't work long-term for everybody" and suggested I revise to gastric bypass.  I really would like to revise to sleeve, but he won't perform the revision, saying it's too risky to go from band to sleeve.  I went to another bariatric group for a second opinion and got the same answer.  My insurance won't cover the revision, but I was completely ready to do self-pay.  Now I have a band that doesn't work for me, sometimes with complications ****asional chest pain), and I'm back at square one.  I'm completely miserable and feel like a total failure.  My step-daughter and neighbor both got sleeve from the beginning, with ZERO complications, and have lost weight like crazy.  I'm so happy for their success, though it makes me feel even worse about myself.  I see so many people saying they got revision surgery - did your dr. say anything at all about the added risk factor since your anatomy has changed from having the band?  I just don't understand how it's done so frequently (or so it appears) but 2 local drs. are so completely against it.   Thanks, and Thundergrrrl.... again, congrats!!

I'm sorry you have had such trouble! It does seem some doctors are very against the band to sleeve revision because I've heard of that before but at the same time, many are for it.

There is an entire group on facebook "Band to sleeve revisions" that's very helpful. I went to Dr. Alvarez at www.endobariatric.com and he routinely does band to sleeve revisions. Often (not just him, but other doctors) will need to remove the band, allow 6 months for the stomach to heal, and then perform the sleeve. I was very fortunate to be able to get it all in one surgery. So far so good, I am healing well and really had an easy time of it the whole way. 

Just so you know, Dr. Alvarez charges 9,000 for a band to sleeve revision and that includes everything except your plane ticket to San Antonio. I'd do it again with him 100 times over, given my experience at the hospital and with him as a surgeon. 

Go on the VSG board here and you will find lots of people who have gone from band to sleeve. And all of those who post in OH seem very happy with the result. I do know two people for whom it very definitely was not a success and who have had a hard tme, but they seem to be in the minirity.